The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1122

The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1122

Chapter 1122
“Welcome back!” The Daughter of Heaven greeted Davey cheerfully, holding a large card in one hand.
Ignoring whether things had been going well for her or not, she had suddenly flipped the game board in front of her and ran toward Davey. Rinne, who had been playing the card game with her, stared at Davey with an annoyed yet expressionless face.
Also nearby was Super Ribbon. “Daughter of Heaven, you’re quite skilled at flipping game boards.”
“
Hm?
I don’t know what you mean. Anyway!” she said, turning back to Davey. “Where have you been wandering off to?”
“
Ah,
it was nothing. Just bringing you a gift.” Davey handed her a coin pouch he was carrying.
“
Oh?
Isn’t this mine? You found it?”
Davey nodded. “Yepp.”
“I see. Now, where could I have lost it...?” She didn't seem worldly enough to even realize she'd been pickpocketed.
“Oh, Super Ribbon, you were here too? Where’s Evangeline?”
“She’s with Mother.”
It seemed they'd made up.
“I’m sorry, Father. Maybe I shouldn’t have stepped in like that.”
“No, you did well.”
Honestly, thinking of when Evangeline had screamed at him like that, he wasn’t sure how he would’ve reacted if Super Ribbon hadn’t intervened. It’s possible that he would’ve lost his temper in a way he regretted. It was her quick judgment that had helped him stay grounded.
It was a bit bittersweet to have to be saved from his daughter... by his own daughter.
“Thanks.”
After he briefly expressed his gratitude, Super Ribbon’s cheeks turned red. She then smiled bashfully and said, “Then, Father.”
“
Hm?
”
“Can you grant me one wish?”
Davey tilted his head in curiosity.
“A wish?”
“Yes!”
Smiling brightly, she held out a gem-like object.
“This is...”
“Lady Odin gave it to me. She said it can store a vast amount of mana.”
It normally took around a hundred mana stones to create a single magic stone, effectively being a compressed mana crystal. Unlike the commonly used mana stones, magic stones were highly efficient. In fact, the golem squadron used them as their operating power cores.
However, the gem Super Ribbon held was on an entirely different level compared to ordinary magic stones.
“Please fill it.”
At her request, Davey silently gathered mana into his hand and channeled it into the special gem. “What are you going to use it for?”
She turned around with her hands behind her back, smiling brightly. “To maintain my form.”
Since it was a gem Odin had given her, Super Ribbon could probably use it to maintain her form for several days even without Davey around.
However, he couldn’t help but feel odd that she would need to use it to maintain her form independently when he was right there next to her.
“If you need it, I can give you as much power as you want.”
“No, this is enough.” She gave him a faint smile.
Strangely, it made Davey feel uneasy.
* * *
The Daughter of Heaven, who had endured something close to abuse in order to survive over the previous few days, quickly recovered once she was given some rest and respite.
In the meantime, there had also been some change in Evangeline. While her rebellious streak remained, she clearly began to understand her limits and made a conscious effort not to cross the line. It was a small but commendable change.
Knowing that she was in a phase when her pride was at its peak, it felt like receiving unexpected filial piety.
Davey then thought perhaps that was why his uncle liked Hyun-Ah and Yeon-Hee so much.
“First, I’ll on the situation between the Great Empire of Ming and the Contas Empire. Now that the empire has launched a full-scale invasion, the Great Empire of Ming won’t be able to hold out for long. Three fortresses have already been captured, and there are constant scouting skirmishes at the borders.”
The Hyeon Empire had allied with the Contas Empire. Yet rather than attacking directly, it seemed they were blocking off the Great Empire of Ming to prevent them from mobilizing troops effectively.
It was a rather clever tactic on their end, but likely an unwelcome one from the empire’s perspective.
The Daughter of Heaven clenched her fists. Her grim expression showed just how hard it was hitting her.
Davey spoke up, “A lot...”
“
Hm?
”
“A lot of people must have died.”
That was what war was. Countless lives were inevitably lost.
Even when Davey had used overwhelming buffs in the war against the demons to completely break the balance, it had still resulted in many war orphans.
“According to our intel, the Great Empire of Ming has suffered about five thousand casualties. Two thousand instead for Contas.”
Even with the same numbers, the difference in their strength was clear.
“Five thousand...”
“Around a thousand are confirmed dead. About three thousand are seriously or moderately injured, while the remaining thousand are suffering from disease and cannot continue fighting.”
Learning that, the Daughter of Heaven’s expression darkened further.
“It’s still at the skirmish stage. Honestly, the casualties are only relatively low because many of Ming’s soldiers abandoned the fortresses and fled.”
If all three fortresses had been properly defended, the death toll would’ve been far higher. Thanks to the commanders fleeing and their troops scattering, Contas had managed to seize the forts with minimal resistance.
“The Contas Empire’s justification for war is simple: the Ming Empire’s nobles tried to assassinate you and then killed the envoys they sent to assist you.”
She couldn’t hold back anymore. Her eyes welled up with tears as she turned to Davey. “The war must be stopped. Davey, isn’t there something you can do?”
“Isn’t that why you came here?”
“What I mean is, Davey, couldn’t you step in yourself...?”
“Daughter of Heaven.” Davey stood before a large set of doors and looked at her calmly. “Do you really want me to step in?”
If he did, ending the war wouldn’t be difficult. He could just deploy an overwhelming force to both sides and bring everything to a halt.
However, he knew that wouldn’t be the right choice.
The Daughter of Heaven also wasn’t so naive that she couldn’t see the consequences of such a path. Innocence and foolishness were not the same thing.
“That’s why... from here on out, you need to take matters into your hands.”
If she were truly the sovereign of Ming, she had to make the hard decisions that came with that role.
With that, Davey calmly knocked on the large door before them.
“Enter,” a young man’s voice called out, and the door opened on its own, revealing the inside.
There, slouched sideways on a massive throne-like sofa, holding a stack of papers in one hand and a piece of fruit in the other, was a man with tanned skin and a youthful appearance.
The ruler of the western continent, the Emperor of Contas.
“
Hmm?
You are?”
Davey responded, “I heard you had quite the encounter with the envoy I sent.”
The emperor chuckled. “
Ah,
that blue-haired lizard was yours, wasn’t he?”
“Technically not mine, but close enough. Still, attacking someone like that out of nowhere? That’s a bit rude,” he said in a playful tone.
The emperor gave a light laugh. “He was pretty strong. Too strong for me to just ignore. So, since your underling couldn’t get the job done, you came yourself?”
“More or less.”
“That’s odd. You seem like a bright fellow. Definitely not the type to do something so unprofitable.”
With a wave of his hand, the attendants beside him bowed and quickly retreated.
In the vast imperial audience hall, the emperor and Davey stared at each other in a quiet standoff.
“Your Majesty.”
“Speak, ask your question.”
“It’s not a question. Just a warning,” Davey said while erasing his gentle smile. “If you raise a hand against any envoy I send again, I’ll respond in kind.”
The emperor’s smile deepened. “Respond in kind...? I believe that was merely a sparring match—”
“Your Majesty.” Davey smiled again, but his expression caused the emperor to visibly pale. “Are you trying to play word games with me?”
All Sapphire had done was deliver information on the current situation and ask whether the emperor would consider halting the war for the time being. There had been no threats or coercion.
Even so, the Emperor of Contas had used force on Sapphire, and the mellowed out Sapphire had simply returned and tattled to Davey.
“
Hmph.
I really can’t get a read on you.”
“I’m just keeping the line clear, that’s all.”
The emperor sitting there didn't know what to say.
“My message ends here. The choice is yours, Your Majesty, but please ensure that the flames of this war never reach Heins Territory.”
“To think you’d dare to threaten the Emperor of the Empire... I’m surprised your abdomen hasn't already burst with how enormous your guts must be under there.” Despite the words, he didn’t reveal much emotion. “Very well. If you’ve nothing more to say to me, then perhaps the little girl beside you does?”
The Daughter of Heaven, standing beside Davey, pulled back the hood of her dark robe. “It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”
“Daughter of Heaven.” His smile vanished instantly.
Though she had recovered, the fatigue and suffering she had endured still lingered on her face.
The Daughter of Heaven stepped forward slowly. Despite her young age, she took a deep breath and exuded a dignified pressure befitting of a sovereign. “I’ve come to discuss a ceasefire, as the sovereign of Ming.”
At her words, the Emperor stared at her in silence for a moment before nodding. “I’ll accept the proposal for negotiations, sovereign of Ming.”
“Please, stop the war. Even now, it’s not too late.”
“That’s not possible,” he rejected.
“Why not?”
“The current ruling power of Ming is made up of those who attempted to assassinate you. In other words, it means they ousted someone friendly to the Contas Empire and chose instead to oppose us. Should we not interpret that as a declaration of hostility?”
She didn't know what to say. “They...”
“Furthermore, they killed citizens of our Empire in the process.”
That one sentence silenced the Daughter of Heaven.
“The dead do not return. Yet here you are, asking me to simply stop here despite knowing that?”
“I am aware... But this will only lead to more meaningless deaths—”
“Meaningless deaths, you say? Are you implying that the lives of Contas citizens are meaningless?”
“If they aren't, then all the more reason to stop the bloodshed here!” The Daughter of Heaven stood her ground without retreating an inch. “I will find and bring to justice those responsible for what happened. We must prevent any more innocent people from being sacrificed.”
“And if you cannot do that?” he asked.
“That’s why I came to find common ground between us.”
She had once sobbed in front of Davey, pleading for help. Yet there she stood, tall like a sovereign befitting her title.
Davey offered, “I will personally serve as the witness and guarantor of the agreement between you two. Daughter of Heaven, will that be enough?”
“Thank you, Davey. The Daughter of Heaven from Ming will never forget your grace,” she said clearly, looking straight at Davey.
He turned to the lounging emperor. “And you, Your Majesty?”
“If you’ll be our witness, I have no objections.”
With that, the secret meeting between the supposedly deceased sovereign of the Ming Empire and the Emperor of Contas officially began.
Davey quietly pulled a video stone from his inner coat and began documenting the scene.
“What the Contas Empire wants is simple. All those who contributed to the murder of our citizens, and those who attempted to kill you, the Daughter of Heaven, must be surrendered to the Empire, without exception.”
“That’s not possible,” she said firmly. “I have yet to even learn who they are or why they did what they did. As such, I will subdue them in accordance with proper legal procedures, hold trials, and decide their fate accordingly.”
“I’m telling you to hand them over now.”
“I cannot. Even the slightest chance of condemning an innocent person is unacceptable.”
With steady resolve, the Daughter of Heaven began laying out her stance, trying to ensure not a single innocent would be caught in the crossfire.
* * *
A good amount of time had passed since Davey last left Earth.
Hyun-Ah, overwhelmed by the duties related to the Awakened individuals, had been buried in paperwork. She finally slumped over her desk with a heavy sigh. “
Ugh.
I just want to rest...”
Other people her age were out dating or enjoying life, yet there she was, wondering how it all came to this.
She a med school graduate, yet lately she hadn’t found even a moment to focus on becoming a doctor. Instead, she’d been pouring all her energy into helping her increasingly busy uncle.
Balancing preparations for a medical career and managing a company wasn’t something anyone with an average level of mental fortitude could handle.
Her older sister, Shin Yeon-Hee, was helping with most of the load, but there was simply too much work to go around.
Beep—
“One coffee, please.” She ordered coffee through the hotline connected to the secretary's office, mumbling with a completely drained face, “
Haaah.
I miss my nieces and nephew...”
She then thought about how Darian and Evangeline must still be as cute as ever. She wondered if they were doing okay, then felt a sudden desire to forget everything and just spend a few days playing with them.
“That damn squid doesn’t visit even once... Not even a single phone call.”
In truth, Shin Hyun-Soo was long gone. The one living was Davey, essentially a different person. Not a single drop of blood connected them. Even so, because his soul belonged to the brother she had cherished so deeply in the past, she treated him as a sibling.
Slumped over her desk, she grabbed a handful of the recent business cards and marriage proposals that had arrived and crumpled them in one hand.
“Marriage, my ass!
Tch.
” Clicking her tongue, she turned her head toward the window, gazing out at the city’s skyline.
She then saw a beautiful girl with long, crimson-blue hair; and another black-haired girl standing beside her, avoiding eye contact as if shy.
It was none other than Super Ribbon and Evangeline.
Her eyes widened as she sprang to her feet. She quickly pressed the button for her assistant. “Send two more cups of coffee to the reception room.”
Smiling with delight, she dashed off.
Her nieces had come to see her! Joy swelled in her chest as she laid eyes on the two girls entering the company for the first time in a long while.
“Super Ribbon! Evangeline!” She rushed over and hugged them both tightly.
Super Ribbon gave an awkward smile. “
Hehe,
it’s been a while.”
“Come on, try calling me your aunt.”
“
Hehe...
Aunt Hyun-Ah.”
“
Ahh.
This really heals me.” Letting out a deep sigh, she gently patted Super Ribbon on the back and led the girls to the sofa. “Come, come! Sit down. What brings you here? Your squid—
uh,
I mean, where is your father?”
Hearing her question, Super Ribbon scratched her cheek with an awkward expression. “Dad didn’t come. He’s busy with something in Tionis, so he’ll be tied up for a bit.”
“
Hm?
So you came here on your own?”
“Yeah. Mom opened the portal for us,” Super Ribbon answered.
Hyun-Ah immediately pictured that cute blonde lady.
Aside from her brother Davey, that girl was the only one who could open a portal to Earth.
“I see... So she didn’t come along?”
“She didn’t.” Super Ribbon then gently grabbed her hand. “
Ummm.
Aunt Hyun-Ah?”
“Yes? What is it? If you want something, just say it! I’ll do anything!”
“I... want to go to school.”
Hyun-Ah flinched. “
Huh?
”
“School! I want to study at a university. If I don’t do it now while Dad’s busy in Tionis, I’ll never get the chance. He’d never allow it otherwise.”
“Well, he’s probably just worried about you...”
“But I really want to study on Earth! That’s why this is the only time. The only person who can help me is you, my beautiful Aunt Hyun-Ah.”
She didn’t say that Yeon-Hee or her uncle would be sad to hear that she solely relied on her. It seemed her brother Davey still retained his overly rigid nature.
She figured the girls had probably run away, half as part of a plan and half on impulse, to make it all the way there.
As Hyun-Ah stared blankly at Super Ribbon for a moment, she turned to Evangeline. “And you, Eva?”
“I only came because she told me to.” Her grumbling tone felt slightly different from the Evangeline of the past.
“Eva?”
“
Ah,
it’s nothing.”
As Hyun-Ah tilted her head at the sudden change, Super Ribbon leaned in and whispered in her ear. “She and Dad had a huge fight. I brought her to get some air. She’s going through a bit of a rebellious phase after her growth spurt...”
“
Ah...
”
That explained everything.

Chapter 1122